The Green family came to Fort Sill to walk through the dining facility named after their loved one, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ivan I. Green.

The Green family visited Fort Sill March 18 to reconnect to what they thought was a lost legacy.

Peggy Green Bryant wrote a letter to the Garrison asking what happened to Green Hall —a dining facility dedicated in her father’s memory. Fort Sill first dedicated a dining facility in Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ivan. I Green’s name in 1983. A rededication ceremony was held in 2011, but when the family tried to visit recently the building they thought was Green Hall was no longer in use.

The Green Family added Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ivan I. Green, to the Fort Sill Hall of Remembrance March 18. His story will continue to be shared, and the family will always have a place to come and reflect on his memory.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ivan I. Green's story is hanging in every quadrant of the Green Hall Dining Facility at Fort Sill, Okla. The dining facility feeds 1,000 to 3,000 trainees three times a day.

The Green family ate a meal at the dining facility dedicated to Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ivan I. Green. Green passed away in a helicopter crash in Vietnam in 1969. He was a food technician in the Army. He was known for his efforts to serve hot meals to Soldiers in Vietnam when many others were eating rations.

The Green family was asking if his name had been removed.

“I understand that buildings are now being named after heroes from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, but I hope those of you in leadership roles do not forget the Soldiers who fought and died in Vietnam. Soldiers who faced moral divisions and marked indifference at home,” wrote Bryant Green.

Green Hall was still in existence, but was different from the one the Green’s had come to know. When Garrison leadership read the letter, they quickly reached out to the family.

“We knew we had to fix this,” said Command Sgt. Maj. William Taylor, Fort Sill Garrison CSM. “We wanted to bring the family back to Fort Sill and reconnect them with the Army and CWO2 Green’s legacy.”

Julia Sibilla, Fort Sill Garrison Deputy Garrison commander, said she was distraught when she read the letter.

“This family thought it was possible their loved one’s memory had been erased. We wanted to show them not only does Green’s memory live on, but it impacts so many Soldiers on a daily basis,” said Sibilla.

Green Hall now sits on the Basic Combat Training-side of Fort Sill. Two-million Soldiers eat there every year, with 1,000-3,000 fed daily.

“Our mission is to transition civilians to Soldiers,” said Col. Rhett Taylor, Fort Sill Garrison commander. “The place that they get to go to really learn about our Army and get some nourishment for themselves is the Green dining facility. Just think of how many Soldiers have passed through those doors and learned about Chief Green’s sacrifice.”

Green’s story is in every quadrant of the facility along with a “Missing Man” table in his honor. Green was a food service technician who was recognized for his dedication to feeding troops hot meals in Vietnam while many others were eating rations. He passed away in from a helicopter crash in Vietnam in 1969.

Sibilla said it was important not only to show the family CWO2 Green’s memory lives on, but to show them the resources available to them as a Gold Star Family. After a meal in Green Hall, the family dedicated a photo of CWO2 Green in Fort Sill’s Hall of Remembrance.

“We have 206 heroes that are on the wall. He is going to be 207. We wanted to make sure that you know that you will always be connected to our military family here at Fort Sill,” said Keith Powers, Fort Sill Survivor Outreach Services coordinator.

The Hall of Remembrance is in the Fort Sill Welcome Center. Green’s story is now shared with all entering the military, and all those who come to reflect on those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“I remember telling a history teacher one time that there was a dining facility named after my dad on Fort Sill,” said Peggy. “She was genuinely surprised. I asked her why and she said, ‘Well Vietnam Soldiers are not usually recognized for their service because that war was so unpopular.’ I said, ‘Well, there is a dining facility named after my dad at Fort Sill.’”

“Our family, we would like to let all of you know that we deeply appreciate the honor bestowed on our father and we take great pride in telling people there is a dining facility named after our dad.”